Scan 13
Musical Courier 1902-05-28: Vol 44 Iss 1157, 1902
86 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 14. See the scan on archive.org.
1CINCINNATI, May 24, 1902.
3SIGNOR ROMEO GORNO, pianist, of the College of Music faculty, gave a recital on Wednesday evening May 21, in the Odeon, which was the musical event of the week. He was assisted by Richard Schliwen, violin and viola, and Signor Lino Mattioli in the following program:
5Trio in E flat, op. 1, No. 1………………………………………Beethoven
6Piano, violin and 'cello.
7Adagio and allegro……………………………………………..Schumann
8Piano and viola.
9Nocturne, F sharp major………………………………………Chopin
10Please Do………………………………………………………..Chadwick
11Dedication………………………………………………………..Schumann-Liszt
12Concert Study……………………………………………………Albino Gorno one of two readings
13Concert Study…………………………………………………..Albino Gorno one of two readings
14Sonata in G………………………………………………………Grieg
15Piano and violin.
17It has been a long time since Romeo Gorno was heard in a piano recital (he has so many pupils to teach), and the enthusiasm with which his audience received him was in every sense of the word a well deserved appreciation of his high art as a pianist. He was heard both in solo and ensemble numbers, and it would be difficult to say in which he excelled the more, because he is so nicely proportioned. The Beethoven Trio for piano, violin and 'cello, the latter two instruments being played by Richard Schliwen and Lino Mattioli, was given with transparent expression and classic insight. The Grieg Sonata in G for piano and violin was a thoroughly digested performance in one of the most characteristic molds of this composer. The quaint bits of phrasing and runs in the minor key were delightfully given. In the miscellaneous group of numbers Mr. Gorno sustained rare musicianship and marked individuality. His playing of the Chopin Nocturne, F sharp minor, reached a high plane of poetic interpretation. His virtuosic side was displayed in a concert study by Albino Gorno. As an encore he played an Etude by Rachmaninoff. Mr. Schliwen's violin playing in the sonata was thoroughly matured, and one of the most enjoyable numbers was an Adagio and Allegro for piano and viola by Schumann.
19One of the most fascinating and refreshing sights ever witnessed in Music Hall was that of Friday night, May 23, when 1,000 children of the public schools were gathered on its stage to sing for the benefit of the Teachers' Annuity and Aid Association. The girls were all dressed in immaculate white, and occupied one-half of the space, besides forming the background of the other half, where the aggressive boys were seated. It was three part chorus singing, with first and second sopranos and the boys taking the alto parts. The work of the chorus reflected the highest measure of credit on the public school training in the hands of the superintendent of music, Walter H. Aiken, and his assistants. Such beautiful tone volume, good phrasing and attack are seldom achieved from the ranks of school children. No wonder that from them are recruited the young forces of the May Festival Chorus, and that they are ready at any time to fall into line with the programs of the Symphony Orchestra.
21There is nothing in the realm of sweet sounds quite so inspiring as a chorus of fresh and vigorous children's voices. The choruses, which were all sung impressively, were "Father of Mercies," which was uplifting in character; "Be Happy While You May," by Giardini; "O'er the Waters Gliding," Mozart; "O, Gentle, Balmy Breeze," Silcher; "To the Blithesome Lark," Schneider; "Sleigh-ride;" "How Pleased and Blest Was I;" "Mine Be a Cot;" "Praise the Lord," winding up with "Old Glory" and "America." Perhaps the best of these was "To the Blithesome Lark." The Liederkranz Society, under direction of Louis Ehrgott, sang with orchestra Grieg's "Discovery" and a selection embracing Brahams' "Serenade" and Van der Stucken's arrangement of "Old Kentucky Home," in German. They were sung with fine concentration and tonal volume.
23A charming variety was imparted to the program by the gymnastic exercises of the children on the stage. The mathematical precision and poetic grace with which pupils of Hughes High School acquitted themselves of all the movements of the dumb bell exercise under the direction of Dr. A. E. Poos would have reflected honor upon older gymnasts. This was followed by the aesthetic exhibition of a drill in club swinging by the girls of Woodward High School under the direction of Dr. J. Rettich. The last of the gymnastic exercises, which came closer to athletic lines, was that of parallel bars, cleverly executed by pupils of Walnut Hills High School under the direction of Dr. A. A. Knoch.
25The soloists were Alma Roth Ribbola, soprano, and Oscar Ehrgott, baritone. Mrs. Ribbola sang a canzonetta by Meyer-Helmund, with beautiful expression and exquisite color. Her voice skips along lightly and is flexible to colorature requirements; at the same time it is endowed with strength. As an encore she sang an English ballad. In the second number she sang a group of songs—one by Grieg and the other by Dudley Buck.
27Mr. Ehrgott sang an Arabian Romance, by Cachois, with breadth and nobility of style. His voice is thoroughly musical and expands to every inch of space in Music Hall. The best part of it is its interpretative power. As an encore he sang "Thy Beaming Eyes," by MacDowell.
29The orchestra, made up largely of material from the public schools, played with spirit and precision.
31The performance, with almost an entire change of program, but with the great children's chorus as the central figure, was repeated this afternoon in Music Hall.
33The members of the Monday Musical Club are looking forward to their open meeting to be held on Monday evening, May 26, at Sinton Hall, Y. M. C. A. Building, with great enthusiasm.
35The program promises to be very interesting, and although illness has stepped in to prevent one or two of the club's most brilliant members from assisting, the names of those who will appear is a sufficient guarantee as to the excellence of the program to be presented.
37These are Misses Ione B. Riddell, Helen Nathan, Hulda Danziger, Mabel D. Flynn, Ina Curry, Charlotte Callahan, Jessie Straus, Lillian Sutton Alfaretta, G. Hill and Mrs. Forence N. Lord.
39Mesdames H. R. Hooper, Robert Finch and Mollie B. Hall have charge of the affair.
41Rev. Peter Robertson, chairman of the clerical committee of the College of Music, has the following to say about the recent Cincinnati May Music Festival:
43"The Cincinnati May Music Festival did so well in rendering splendidly the Bach Mass in B minor and the 'Heroic' Symphony that criticisms or suggestions may seem somewhat ungracious. We appreciate the seeming necessity for playing to the social element of the community to make the festival pay, but depurate the too great sacrifice of the artistic to that end. If these biennial festivals are to be more than mere local or State affairs, the management must take into the count the fact that numerous cities give music festivals from time to time with choral works and orchestral performances of a very high order, and with these we must be more than abreast. It is wise and proper to contrast the modern with the classic, so that we may know the very best that is being done in our own day. Only the truly great of the best masters, however, should be thus contrasted, and here the festival just closed was defective.
45"One of the great oratorios or masses of Handel, Haydn, Beethoven, Cherubini or Palestrina should have taken the place of the weak, incoherent, sensational, bombastic, tedious Requiem of Berlioz. One of the great symphonies of Mozart or Haydn, or Schubert's Ninth Symphony should have taken the place of the light, rather insignificant Serenade of Brahms. Two or more of the great overtures of Beethoven, Weber or Mendelssohn ought to have taken the place on the program of the Overture of Elgar.
47"Works of no particular significance or power from great masters—such as the Suite by Bach and the arias by Handel and Mozart, though beautiful in themselves—should have no place on the program of a great musical festival. The vast outlay of time, labor and money on the part of the managers and performers, and the immense size of the audiences expected to attend, demand that the music of these festivals should only be the best of the truly great musicians and what seems to be the best of living composers.
49"Furthermore, it would be patriotic to give one of the supposed best compositions of the greatest living American composers. There was no recognition of American musicianship on the program. We have two composers in our own city of much more than national repute, one of whose works would have been no discredit to the program, and would have met the demands of a just local pride."
51There will be a new business manager of the College of Music, as A. J. Gantvoort has resigned that position. He will remain at the college next year as a member of the faculty.
53An organ recital was given this evening in the Lyceum by pupils of the dean of the college, W. S. Sterling, who were assisted by vocal pupils of E. A. Jahn in the following program:
55Organ, Prelude and Fugue in G major………………………..Bach
56Voice, trio, On Thee Each Living Soul Awaits, from Creation.Haydn
57Susie Cannon, Joseph Lowenstein, Walter Brown.
58Organ, Prelude and Fugue in G major………………………..Mendelssohn
59Harriet O. Smith.
60Voice, Recitative and aria, Hear Me, Ye Winds, from Scipio.Händel
61Walter Brown.
62Organ, Sonata in E flat minor (first movement)………….Rheinberger
63Agnes Mahler.
64Voice, Duet from Damon and Pythias…………………….Prout
65Joseph Lowenstein and Walter Brown.
66Organ, Sonata in A minor………………………………….Gladstone
67Eleanore Hyde.
69Two of these, Agnes Mahler and Eleanore Hyde, will be awarded certificates.
71J. A. HOMAN.
73Herbert Witherspoon.
75O WING to numerous requests from professional pupils, Herbert Witherspoon, the well-known bass, will teach two days each week during the months of June, July and August.
77This will be a course of twelve weeks and will be of particular interest to those whose professional duties keep them too busy during the winter season for serious study, and for out of town teachers who come to New York during the summer months for the purpose of study in voice culture and interpretation of the great masters. The course will be so condensed as to allow a practical exposition of the several points of interest. The class will be limited to twelve pupils and will under no circumstances exceed this number.
79At the conclusion of each day Mr. Witherspoon proposes to give an informal talk on different composers, their vocal compositions and the peculiarities of style to be observed in the rendition of music of the several schools or periods.
81Further particulars may be had from Herbert Witherspoon, 571 Park avenue, corner Sixty-third street, New York.
83GUSTIN WRIGHT.—Gustin Wright, the American organist, who is living in Paris, is making a second tour through Austria-Hungary, and opened a new organ at Budapest on April 27, playing with orchestra in the same city on May 7. There is some rumor that he is coming over here under the management of Rudolph Aronson.
85TO THE WHITE MOUNTAINS.—Mrs. Hortense Hibbard-Howard and Miss Adelina Hibbard, after a successful season, leave early in June for the White Mountains, where they have built a summer home.
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